In our previous article we discussed the different areas in a home that provides the best advantage during a home invasion or hostile situation. Now we’re going to provide some pointers on the best weapons or improvised weapons for home defense. Not only will I provide a list and an explanation of each item; but also different categories of weapons: Lethal, Potentially-Lethal, and Non-Lethal.
Lethal: Most people know what lethal weapons are – but for the sake of sanity; I’ll list them and the reasoning behind the list.
- Pistol – A pistol is one of the best choices in terms of lethal defense because it is maneuverable, quick to deploy and can be used for both close range as well as medium range such across a room or from one end of the hallway to the other end. keep in mind that it is considered personal preference on which type of pistol such as either semi-auto or revolver as well as which brand. The idea here is that it should be a brand and style that you’re comfortable with and have practice with. As far as the caliber: I personally recommend at least a heavy .38 round or larger just incase adrenaline doesn’t allow for pin-point accuracy.
- Semi-Auto Shotgun – Why semi auto? less complexity. If the shotgun is loaded, all you need to do is charge the bolt. No pump safety to worry or forget about alongside the trigger safety. Others might consider the pump shotgun to have less complexity, and of course that is personal preference. What about the type of shotgun cartridge? That is mainly personal preference, but I’d advocate for Buckshot only due to it having a spread pattern where pin-point accuracy isn’t a detrimental factor. If you’re confident with your ability and accuracy 100% of the time; then a slug is a great threat eliminator.
- Edged/pointed weapons: this can range from a steak knife from the kitchen all the way up to a machete from the tool shed. Even a deep cut in a serious place makes these tools lethal. The main drawbacks here are that they are primarily close combat weapons (unless you’ve learned how to throw a knife with enough force and accuracy to end a threat).
- Why do we not list a rifle or why do we list a pistol before a shotgun??? Because of the maneuverability that a pistol has over both of them. Think of it this way; if you’re walking out of a room into a hallway and there’s a hostile individual next to the door – he will see the barrel of a rifle or shotgun before you see him which will put yourself at a disadvantage.
Semi-Lethal: These are items that have more of a blunt force effect which can have the potentially lethal resolutions.
- Baseball bat – A bat should not be too heavy to swing in an emergency self-defense situation, but shouldn’t be too light either so that there is at least a stun effect on an attacker/home invader.
- Tactical pen – We’ve gone over Tac Pens quite a bit in earlier articles that prove to be a great close-quarters self defense and weapon retention tool.
- Heavy pots/pans, hammers, lamps??? – Thats right, any item that is just heavy enough to provide more blunt force than your fists or legs can generate is considered a semi-lethal or potentially lethal item that can cause serious injury or death to a hostile individual.
Non-Lethal: These items are specifically designed to provide self-defense solutions that will typically not inflict permanent damage or injury.
- O.C. Spray – oleoresin capsicum is a little different from standard pepper spray that you find in a local convenience store as its hotter, more painful and more effective. Some pepper gels contain more of the compound than standard pepper sprays. O.C overall when sprayed into the eyes of someone will basically cause them to feel like burning sandpaper rubbing on their eyes. It will also disrupt and inflame the mucus membranes of an attacker. Limited range is the main drawback of these sprays.
- Tasers – Example: Taser Pulse. These are not to be confused with stun guns which are only effective in close quarters and through only limited amount of clothing. The distance tasers that shoot out rods that can go through a half inch of clothing from a medium distance is far more effective and powerful compared to the typical hand-held stun guns found in most places.
- Pepper – Great for cooking. Also great for making round projectiles known as pepper balls fired from a Co2 powered device. These are also known as pepper ball guns and have had great success with both civilians, law enforcement and military. byrna.com/
Please review your local state and federal laws before acquiring any weapons. For firearms training; reach out to our affiliate company: Wright Defence here in Las Vegas, NV!
Photos courtesy of:
Byrna
midsouth shooters blog
sngtactical.com
foxlabs